


Parts of Us

by elenajames



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magical Realism, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 11:02:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13212396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elenajames/pseuds/elenajames
Summary: They've always had chemistry, right from the beginning.





	Parts of Us

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Happy Holidays!

Nicklas isn’t sure what would be for the best. Part of him hopes that their dragons won’t be compatible, that their marriage will only be for business and not a heartbond. But another . . . 

 

Another part of him is hopelessly charmed by Alexander Ovechkin, flushes with pleasure under Alexander-Call-Me-Sasha’s praise and affection. Nicklas thinks they could be a good match, form a solid bond with the help of hockey and their dragons; they have chemistry on the ice already, even if he’d struggled to adjust to North American hockey and North American ice in the beginning. Alexander had never looked down at him for it, instead offering encouragement in a language Nicke barely understands. 

 

They get their answer when Nicke’s egg finally hatches and a dragonling with mirrored markings to Alex’s Ilia claws itself free of its shell. It readily curls itself into Nicke’s chest and bounds up to meet Ilia when Alex brings his dragon in the room. There’s a brief, tense moment where Ilia stares down at the hatchling before he dips his head and chuffs against its neck. The dragonling gives a small chirp and pushes closer to Ilia for warmth, the two of them curling up among the sheets as their human counterparts look on. 

 

“Nicky. This okay?” Alex asks. 

 

“I - yes, Alex.” 

 

Alex grins brightly back at him, reaching out to touch one of the hatchling’s tender little wings. “Sasha, Nicky, tell you. Sasha.” 

 

“Alex,” Nicke says again, letting his lips curl into a slight smile when Alex laughs aloud. 

 

* * *

 

Alex and Nicke get married on a Saturday in the summertime. There are approximately a dozen NHL players with weddings the same weekend, but that doesn’t stop the list of invitees Alex has put together from being exceedingly large. Nicke eyes the steady stream of cars pouring into the parking lot with trepidation, and Olle purrs louder next to his ear in response, flapping his wings in an attempt to steal Nicke’s attention. 

 

“Thank you,” Nicke murmurs, plucking a bite of steak from the half-empty container he’d brought to keep the dragon appeased. Olle snaps it down happily, forked tongue flickering against Nicke’s cheek before he picks his purr back up. 

 

He can hear the skittering of Ilia’s claws on tile long before Alex’s footsteps, the little drake wrapping itself around Nicke’s ankles like a cat as it chirps, pleading to be picked up. Having both dragons on his shoulders is precarious, but they cling to the fabric of his suit jacket carefully. 

 

“Ilia, where -” Alex stops short as Nicke turns around, a satisfying blush creeping up his cheeks while Nicke watches. 

 

“Nicky, you look . . .” 

 

“Am I pretty, Sasha?” Nicke teases, feeling his own face heat when Alex nods silently, moving forward until he can rest his hands on Nicke’s waist. There’s a tense moment where Nicke is sure Alex is going to kiss him before their mothers come bustling in, ushering Alex and Ilia right back out. 

 

When the time comes, Alex kisses Nicke gently, reverently in front of their witnesses, one hockey-calloused thumb brushing along his cheek.

 

* * *

 

“Nicky,” Alex says softly. Faintly, Nicke can hear Olle growl and the soft chuff Ilia gives in return, trying to soothe his counterpart. “Nicky.” 

 

Nicke sighs and carefully rolls over, peering at Alex through the half-light of the bedroom. He’s grateful for the dimness, not only because of his headache, but because he’s hyper aware of the tacky tear tracks on his cheeks. “It hurts, Alex,” he admits, voice breaking a little as the pain in his head spikes. 

 

“I know.” Gingerly, Alex shuts the door behind him. Nicke can feel it when Ilia clambers up the bedding, and he whispers soothing nonsense at Olle until he allows the other dragon to curl up with them. Alex isn’t far behind, doing his best not to jostle the bed too much as he settles on it. “I brought heat pack.” 

 

It hurts to move, to give Alex access to his neck and the dragons whine at the same time Nicke chokes on his breath against the pain. Nicklas can hear Alex gasp, their bond picking up on it and Nicke gets a wave of worry and  _ sorryNickysosorry _ back in response. The heat pack feels good when Alex presses it to Nicke’s neck; it won’t relieve the migraine, not by a longshot, but it’s a welcome, temporary reprieve. 

 

Nicke closes his eyes and tries to breathe slow and even, moving as little as possible. The faintest hum of a purr picks up from Ilia and Nicke gets a wave of relief from Olle, as well. Guilt curls in his chest at that; the pain is bad enough but knowing that both Alex and their dragons suffer because of it - 

 

“Shh, Nicky. It’s okay,” Alex murmurs. 

 

They lay together in the quiet, Ilia’s purr tapering off as he falls asleep curled up with Olle. Nicke drifts, not quite asleep under the haze of pain and medication, but at an even enough keel to rest. Having Alex quiet and close is a comfort, the calm at his end of the bond like a balm on Nicke’s frayed nerves and tender head. Slowly, that calm morphs into something more, cool water and a placid lake that draws Nicke in. He can feel Alex around him even as he beckons him closer. With a sigh, Nicke lets himself drift until he’s floating on the water, migraine soothed by the cold and Alex. 

 

When Nicke wakes, they’re curled up as close as they can be together with the dragons still between them. Alex is peaceful in sleep, hand loosely curled around one of Nicke’s wrists. Ilia chirrups curiously when Nicke moves but quiets down when he doesn’t leave the bed; instead, he brushes a lock of hair behind Alex’s ear, causing Alex to mumble in his sleep. There’s no pain, now, only the faint echo of it and the nausea lingering in its wake. 

 

“Nicky. Sleep.” Alex is peering at him through barely-open eyes, reaching for Nicke’s hand to weave their fingers together. Nicke lets himself be tugged down and gets comfortable. Alex reaches through the bond, hazy as he drifts back off and Nicke pulls him close, wrapping him up in all the soft, grateful feelings he can muster before he falls back asleep, too. 


End file.
